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Betty Crocker
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Cooking & Baking with Kids

From breakfast to dinner and lunchboxes to kid-friendly snacks. How do you keep it fun for kids in the kitchen?

How do you keep your kids FULL?

     My kids are always hungry. They have breakfast before school and when they get to school. They eat snack at school, eat lunch,  and when they come home, they want another snack. I feel like I am at the grocery stores daily. When I make a meal that is considered big enough they eat all of it and there are no leftovers. I need help with a filling meal that will last maybe 2 days. I've tried spaghetti, lasagna, shepherd's pie, chicken broccoli casserole...you name it. They love to eat! Oh yeah and by the way no one is overweight...go figure!  Tongue Tied

Lots of love and having fun in the kitchen is what cooking is all about!
8/27/2009 5:06 PM
5 Replies to How do you keep your kids FULL?

Hi singingmommy4:

Ahh, my mom used to say to me, “You and your sister are eating me out house and home!” Ha, ha! What ages are your kids? I think it’s great that your kids like to eat and that they’re healthy and mealtime is family event. Smile

Here are just a few ideas.
1.    Protein: It doesn’t have to be meat- it can be beans and tofu (yes, you can serve it in yummy ways… http://www.bettycrocker.com/CommunityForums/forums.aspx/7/4023/13975

2.    Get the kids involved: Have the kids see and learn the ways of the kitchen at an early age. One fun thing is making smoothies together. Have the kids add cereal or granola on top!


3.    So you are a party of 6-7 each night? We have some crowd size recipes that might be fun for weekend ideas: http://www.bettycrocker.com/search/searchresults.aspx?terms=crowd+size

4.    It’s all about the sides! Here are some examples:
Guacamole and salsa (for taco night!)
Apple sauce (pot pie)
Pasta (green salad)

5.    Plan Ahead: Heading to the supermarket everyday would be stressful! If you haven’t yet, signed up for the newsletters to get some ideas. And pre-plan for the week’s recipes. Ha, that or see if there is a local grocery store that will deliver orders. I have peapod in my area- and when life gets crazy- I love it! 

8/28/2009 11:57 AM

Hello there.  I am a mother of 2. I have two children, both boys. They eat alot as well and I am in a similar situation as you are.  I did find a website www.lotsofkids.com it has a lot of great advice on what to feed the kids to keep them satisfied as well as help your wallet from flattening so quickly.  Maybe we can exchange emails and swap recipes if you'd like.  My name is Angie.  **********************  Thanks and hope to hear from you soon!Smile

Did you ever stop to taste a carrot? Not just eat it, but taste it? You can't taste the beauty and energy of the earth in a Twinkie. ~Astrid Alauda
8/28/2009 11:57 AM

I alway serve plenty of veggies and fruit with every meal.  If we run out of the main dish I remind the kids they can eat more fruits and veggies.  I like to serve a variety from fresh to frozen or canned.  I only shop once a week.  In the beginning of the week I use our fresh produce and rely on the canned fruit by the end of the week.  I always have lots of frozen veggies in the freezer to choose from.  I grew up with 5 brothers so I know this is what my mom did to feed a hungry crowd!

8/28/2009 12:22 PM

Hi SingingMommy4! I have 5 kids and 3 of the 5 eat every meal like it's their last! They have all the same meals and snacks like your children, and right when they get home it's like little scavengers in my kitchen! I have researched a little bit on a childrens metabolisms, they can all vary. You say that none are overweight, which is great by the way, which could mean any meal they eat their body is burning it off rather quickly. With my five they all are different in their eating, but one thing I have learned is fillers. Not the bad kind either! When making anything that uses ground beef, or turkey for a lower fat version, my husband and I add breadcrumbs or very thinly chopped veggies or smashed up beans. Instead of using regular pasta I have been slowly switching over to whole wheat. I also went down to fat free milk, they have never noticed the difference. I am still looking and trying to learn new ways of keeping them full but in a healthy way. Although I do keep some junk food options for them, because I figure if I say no completely they are only going to want it more. Oh and I also NEVER let them have any of the sugar substitutes! I have also done some research on these substitutes and have found that they can actually make you hungrier after a couple hours of consumption. (please note this is my own research and I am not saying it is completely factual, although I do believe it Stick out tongue ) I will continue on my search to find new ideas to keep my kids full, just know your not ever alone! Oh and I am sure you know this but I have noticed that before they get home I usually have made up a plate of crackers spread with peanut butter, or apples with peanut butter. If not peanut butter then cheese is also good at keeping tummy's full, at least until dinner Big Smile. Good luck and feel free to ask me any questions, if you have any!

8/28/2009 1:01 PM

Love reading the responses so far! Smile

Also, I asked this question on FB... only a few responses, but worthy to check out. http://www.facebook.com/bettycrocker Sincerely, CC

8/28/2009 1:19 PM

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